


Sanctuary for Orphaned Ghouls

by sp00kworm



Series: Cowbell The Nameless Ghoul [1]
Category: Ghost (Swedish Band)
Genre: Cowbell, Demon AU, Earth, F/M, Fluff, Ghoul Orphanage, Ghouls, Ghouls as Demons, Old man Nil, Papa Nil is a soft old man, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, air, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-05-01 00:02:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14508081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sp00kworm/pseuds/sp00kworm
Summary: Papa Nil had millennia to develop a hobby, but when he first finds a small abandoned Ghoul as a youngster, his obsession soon spirals out of control. Trying to look after a group of baby Ghoul's and run a Satanic Clergy is a difficult job for the old gentleman.





	Sanctuary for Orphaned Ghouls

In nine millennia, Papa Nil had seen many things. The owners of his favourite pizza restaurant had all grown old, died and their child taken over, and he had seen more than his fair share of war. What he hadn’t seen however was a baby Ghoul. Ghouls were elusive creatures by nature, and in Hell even more so. They tended to mate in pairs and remain together for life to raise a spawn before parting back to their clans. It was rare to see a ghoul alone outside of a clan or bond. So, when he did accidentally stumble on a small ghoul spawn bawling in the woods of the chapel, he was shocked. He was younger then, fitter, and had wandered the woods often after his oppressive meetings with the Clergy and Sister Imperator. The devilish woman had such a way with words, he found it hard to remain focused in a meeting. 

The ghoul child was crying, the sound more of a shrieking than actual crying, in the middle of the dark woods. A small mouth full of teeth opened at him as he approached, the eyes of the creature fluorescing with untamed power as it reacted on instinct. Throwing tiny black clawed hands forwards it howled at him, unleashing a thunderous rumble under foot. A few pebbles flew past Papa Nil’s face as a boulder rose from the ground, the Ghoul controlling it swaying with the exertion. The pope looked at the creature in surprise, his mouth curling into a smile as he held a hand and hissed dark words woven with dark magic. The ghoul’s face was one of surprise, its tail flicking as its dark face returned to normal, large eyes and short nubs of horns soft against its small chubby face. Papa Nil watched the boulder tremble as the Ghoul relinquished its control and allowed him to move the rock aside. 

Papa Nil approached the creature carefully, knowing that the lesser demon was no where near fully developed, and so had no real cognitive development yet. It took a few years on the Earth’s surface to gain such good skills. The spawn watched him wearily, its ear’s twitching slightly as the demonic man stood close. Papa carefully reached out a hand and touched the Ghoul’s forehead, whispering a dark curse he watched a mark appear on the demon, that of Earth and smiled. This Ghoul was special, one lucky enough to be blessed, or damned he supposed, with the elemental control many of the clans sought to produce in their members. Just why the poor spawn had ended up abandoned on the Earth’s surface was another question, one he would seek answers to in the privacy of the chapel. Gently, he placed his hands under the demon’s arms, careful to watch the sharp claws, and placed it on his hip. The ghoul squeaked and tittered before grinning at him with pointed, dangerous teeth. Papa Nil smiled and poked the demon’s nose with a chuckle, “I think you will make a fine addition to the house hold.” 

I didn’t take Papa Nil long to truly find a hobby in looking after the tiny Ghouls that ended up on the chapel grounds. It takes Ghoul’s many more years to grow than humans, and due to the conditions on Earth, Papa Nil found their growth a little stunted, but with quick rectifications of temperature and meals, it was easily resolved. Soon he had five of the little monsters running around their enclosed side of the chapel at any one time. Sister Imperator was not too pleased with his hobby but allowed it with his reasoning of ‘fresh ghoul talent’, and begrudgingly allowed him to walk the demons with harnesses on at all times around the chapel and grounds. 

His first Ghoul find had been Earth, the Ghoul that now played drums for the band his sons sung in, the small Ghoul was cheeky and sweet, and Papa Nil often received visits from him when he had found something new. A few times the young Ghoul, barely a century old, had brought him flowers he had conjured from the forest. Papa particularly enjoyed giving him and Air sweets when they came to visit and was grateful for the respect they both gave him. He had a stash reserved for their little tea parties. The old Papa was surprised by Air’s affinity for the sweet treats, despite the Ghoul’s ancient age – he was sure the lesser demon would have experienced them all by his age.

Another of his favourites was a lesser Ghoul he found abandoned outside of one of the Italian meetings with the clergy. Ghoul mothers had a tendency to kill offspring with a lack of power or deformity, it was the cruel fate of many demonic spawn, but this Ghoul had been left to die, the mother too cowardly to end the child’s life. The Ghoul had only stared at him, one horn protruding from it’s skull, eyes ghastly black and jaw still full of the same sharpened teeth. It’s long tongue poked out to lick his hand as he knelt down to pick it up, a black slick muscle, not common in Ghouls, or powerless Ghouls. He frowned as the creature squirmed in it’s swaddling and reached up at him with grabbing clawed hands, clicking sharply. His glasses slid down his nose as he let it hold his finger. The Ghoul chattered in its dark primal language before trying to chew on his finger. The pope pulled his finger away with a chuckle and flicked the demon on the nose, whispering dark words as he placed the baby Ghoul over his shoulder. 

The strange Ghoul hadn’t developed powers later in it’s life, and even as Papa Nil grew old and his eye sight faded, the Ghoul hadn’t made apparent just what power it possessed, if any. Papa Nil had sat with him one day, its head in his lap as he carefully cleaned the dead flakes of horn from its one impressive horn, the other had come through but was small and rounded in comparison.  
“Papa…I want to play in the band. I know I don’t have powers like the others but…I…I want to be useful outside of helping you.” Black eyes looked up at him, and the Ghoul gave him a sad look, sniffling. Nil stopped scrapping the black horns and frowned.  
“You are more than useful here, my child, why do you wish to go with my son? The Ghoul’s in the band only have those positions due to their elemental control.” He watched the almost mature Ghoul lower his head, its ears drooping. 

“Ah I see. You wish to be able to play an instrument. Hmm.” Papa Nil tapped his chin thoughtfully before shakily standing and heading to his small cupboard. Opening the wooden doors, he rummaged around for a few moments before drawing out a small box filled with small instruments. “I have kept these for many years. Lots of Ghouls enjoyed playing with them as children. Here.” He pushed the box across the floor to the Ghoul and smiled as the demon opened the box with a childlike expression, its black leather tail flicking rapidly. Shifting through the instruments the Ghoul shook a tambourine and tapped a Xylophone before pulling out a cowbell with a huge toothy grin. Pulling out a drum stick he snickered and tapped the bell with a gleeful expression. Papa Nil watched the Ghoul with a smile, sipping his Expresso as the Ghoul happily played the cowbell for him in a steady staccato rhythm. “I will speak with my son about you joining them for a song.”  
“Thank you, Papa!” The Ghoul hugged his legs and Papa Nil gave it’s dark hair a pat.  
“And I think Cowbell suits you rather well.” Cowbell purred against his leg and reached for another toffee.

Papa Nil was sat in his office, the next batch of small orphaned Ghoul’s wriggling on the floor by his feet, tangling themselves in their harnesses as they wrestled and squawked. Papa Nil hushed them as a knock sounded on his door. The door opened to reveal Sister Imperator and Cowbell, the Ghoul appearing sheepish next to the Sister, turning his shoe absently into the cobbles of the floor. The Sister scowled at the Ghoul before putting her hands on her hips at the mass of tangled baby ghouls on the play rug.  
“Papa, may I request a moment with you?” The Grand Papa nodded placing his book of dark teachings aside before shuffling the small Ghouls into the play room next door. They immediately set to playing with the building blocks and tittered to one another.

After re-entering the room, Papa Nil seated himself signalling for the Sister to take a seat across from him. Cowbell walked and stood behind the Grand Papa, his tail peaking out of the back of his trousers with anxiety. Sister poured herself a cup of tea and took a sip before continuing.  
“This Ghoul here has told me you have allowed him to join Papa Emeritus the Third in one of his shows.” She gave Nil a stare and he felt himself melt under her gaze. Even in her old age she was a master of weaselling the truth out of him.  
“Yes, Sister. I thought it would be useful for Cowbell to experience something outside of the compound. He has proved proficient enough using the Cowbell. It will be good for him.” Papa Nil shrugged but smiled at the Sister his face paint crinkling around his mouth. She looked at him sternly for a moment before caving and smiling.  
“I suppose a gimmick would prove entertaining…Be ready to leave with Papa in the morning Ghoul.” She left with a shake of her head, her mouth still curled in a smile at the old Papa’s antics. 

Cowbell let out a sigh as she left and went to retrieve the small creatures from the other room. They shrieked as he let them back into the room and nipped his legs before crowding back around Papa Nil. He patted their heads individually before holding his hand out to Cowbell.  
“I think a little walk is overdue for them Cowbell.” The ghoul nodded and untangled the spawns before helping Papa to his feet, passing him his cane and pulling his small trolley with his oxygen tank out in case the old demon needed it.  
“Thank you, Papa, for helping me. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.” Cowbell raised his new mask with a grin of sharp teeth and stuck his tongue out cheekily.  
“You can thank me…when you impress that crowd with that ancient cowbell. Did I tell you how I got it? It was my father’s and his father’s and his father’s father’s…” Cowbell rolled his eyes as he led the small Ghouls out for a play, his arm linked with the old Grand Papa.

**Author's Note:**

> I love this old boy and I need more love for him. Him and soft ghouls make me happy so here you go. Feedback is welcome.


End file.
